Post by pmossberg on Dec 3, 2009 21:39:21 GMT -5
From SceneDaily
www.scenedaily.com/news/articles/sprintcupseries/Former_crew_chief_Dale_Inman_honored_with_Buddy_Shuman_Award.html
Former crew chief Dale Inman honored with Buddy Shuman Award
By SceneDaily Staff
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Former crew chief Dale Inman collected one of NASCAR’s longest-running awards today in Las Vegas, receiving the Buddy Shuman Award during Thursday's NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards.
"It was a big honor and I appreciate everybody that’s thought about me over the years," Inman said of the award.
The award, which has been presented since 1957, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to NASCAR racing. It honors the late Buddy Shuman, a pioneering NASCAR driver who died in a hotel fire in November 1955.
“Dale is one of the first crew chiefs I worked for and remains a true trailblazer for that position,” NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said. “He’s a major reason and inspiration behind many of the current talented people working in the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage.”
Inman, Richard Petty’s first cousin, was responsible for eight NASCAR Sprint Cup championships – one more than his famous relative, also a Buddy Shuman Award winner.
He was surprised to receive the honor.
"They pulled one over on me," he said. "I really appreciate it. I remember Buddy. I wasn’t personally acquainted with him, but I was around when he raced.
"That actually makes me pretty old."
The 73-year-old Inman, from Level Cross, N.C., won 298 races. His victory total boasted 27 wins – and 10 straight – in 1967.
Inman won NASCAR Cup titles with Petty in 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1979. His final championship came with Terry Labonte in 1984.
Petty once described Inman as the sport’s first official crew chief.
Inman and brothers Richard and Maurice Petty began working on their father Lee Petty’s cars during after-school hours and on weekends in the 1940s and '50s. When the younger Petty began racing, Inman was assigned engine-building duties and later became crew chief for Petty Enterprises. He was responsible for 192 of the team’s victories.
From 1986 through Petty’s retirement in 1992, Inman handled the business side of Petty Enterprises. Inman worked with the team’s drivers in a consulting role and now continues to work as a spotter and consultant for Richard Petty Motorsports.
He says he still enjoys those jaunts to the track.
"I enjoy going to the race track," he said. "I’d be telling the lying if I said I didn’t. The ups and the downs … being around the people, there’s still a lot of them around that I know, and a lot know me that I don’t know.
"What else would I do if I didn’t go to the track? My wife asked me the other day when the next race was, and I said, ‘Not until February.’
She said, ‘We won’t make it.’"
Away from the track, Inman played an integral role in helping the Petty family launch the Victory Junction Gang Camp for chronically ill children.
www.scenedaily.com/news/articles/sprintcupseries/Former_crew_chief_Dale_Inman_honored_with_Buddy_Shuman_Award.html
Former crew chief Dale Inman honored with Buddy Shuman Award
By SceneDaily Staff
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Former crew chief Dale Inman collected one of NASCAR’s longest-running awards today in Las Vegas, receiving the Buddy Shuman Award during Thursday's NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards.
"It was a big honor and I appreciate everybody that’s thought about me over the years," Inman said of the award.
The award, which has been presented since 1957, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to NASCAR racing. It honors the late Buddy Shuman, a pioneering NASCAR driver who died in a hotel fire in November 1955.
“Dale is one of the first crew chiefs I worked for and remains a true trailblazer for that position,” NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said. “He’s a major reason and inspiration behind many of the current talented people working in the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage.”
Inman, Richard Petty’s first cousin, was responsible for eight NASCAR Sprint Cup championships – one more than his famous relative, also a Buddy Shuman Award winner.
He was surprised to receive the honor.
"They pulled one over on me," he said. "I really appreciate it. I remember Buddy. I wasn’t personally acquainted with him, but I was around when he raced.
"That actually makes me pretty old."
The 73-year-old Inman, from Level Cross, N.C., won 298 races. His victory total boasted 27 wins – and 10 straight – in 1967.
Inman won NASCAR Cup titles with Petty in 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1979. His final championship came with Terry Labonte in 1984.
Petty once described Inman as the sport’s first official crew chief.
Inman and brothers Richard and Maurice Petty began working on their father Lee Petty’s cars during after-school hours and on weekends in the 1940s and '50s. When the younger Petty began racing, Inman was assigned engine-building duties and later became crew chief for Petty Enterprises. He was responsible for 192 of the team’s victories.
From 1986 through Petty’s retirement in 1992, Inman handled the business side of Petty Enterprises. Inman worked with the team’s drivers in a consulting role and now continues to work as a spotter and consultant for Richard Petty Motorsports.
He says he still enjoys those jaunts to the track.
"I enjoy going to the race track," he said. "I’d be telling the lying if I said I didn’t. The ups and the downs … being around the people, there’s still a lot of them around that I know, and a lot know me that I don’t know.
"What else would I do if I didn’t go to the track? My wife asked me the other day when the next race was, and I said, ‘Not until February.’
She said, ‘We won’t make it.’"
Away from the track, Inman played an integral role in helping the Petty family launch the Victory Junction Gang Camp for chronically ill children.
I have Richard petty cars 1/18 1/24 scales! Etc...
